PAWS Marks 10,000 Animals Helped Through Spay and Neuter Efforts

ZANESVILLE, OH – A local organization is helping low income households provide necessary surgeries for their animals.

PAWS of Muskingum County is a spay and neuter assistance program for people like seniors and veterans who otherwise couldn’t afford their pets medical procedures.

Teresa Hildebrand, the President of PAWS, says these animals along with free roaming cats are the ones contributing to the large number of animals in rescues and shelters.

“Reaching that segment of the population is crucial for getting down the number for over population and euthanasia.” Hildebrand said. “This year we passed the 10,000 mark and we’re very proud of that. 10,000 dogs and cats have been helped through this program.”

PAWS does not have a physical building in the area and are made up of volunteers working out of their homes but Hildebrand says they have some wonderful friends that help them out.

They transport cats to Shelter Outreach Services of Ohio in Columbus twice a week, taking about 20 cats each time for their alteration surgeries.

“We also have the Rascal Unit which comes down from Dublin, Ohio, it is a mobile unit.” Hildebrand said. “We get to use the Washington Township Fire Department, Gene Hanning the Fire Chief out there has done that for years now. He lets us use it free of charge, considers it a community service, but we can do 30 dogs and 20 cats and a couple of wellnesses when they come, which is usually once per month.”

For more information about PAWS and their mission, you can head to their website.